“Your parents. They should be a priority.”
“Uh.” I groan. “I have no idea what to get them this year.”Or any year for that matter.
“What do they want?”
“Grandkids.” The word shoots out of my mouth without thought and I burst out laughing. “Fuck, I’m sorry. I hear about it every time we speak, so it’s ingrained in my mind. I don’t expectusto give that to them.”
“Well, it’s impossible to arrange by Christmas, but we coulddefinitelyhave fun trying.”
My airway closes and I choke, an unexpected image of a naked Hayley working its way into my mind. I slam my eyes shut, but that only works to strengthen the visual anddamn…
“You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?”
“Fuck, Hayley.” I groan under my breath. “You sure know how to mess with a guy’s head.”
“What did I do?”
“You knowexactlywhat you did.” I shake off my thoughts and wrap an arm around her shoulder, directing her toward the store selling indoor plants. “This way.”
She pulls back with a frown, grounding me to a halt. “You arenotgiving your parents an indoor plant. Come on. Let’s get them a giant-ass TV.”
“They have a giant-ass TV.”
“A car?”
“I can’t give them a car.”
“Why? You can afford it.”
“It’s—” Fuck. I throw my head back and sigh. “It’s easier if I don’t. Subtle is best. Things that might cost a lot but aren’t in your face.”
“Are your parents too proud to accept things? Mine have asked me for a new house. As though I can already afford it.”
An incredulous chuckle bursts from within me and I subtly shake my head. “No. It’s not my parents. My brother causes trouble anytime I do something he considers ‘showy.’ It’s easier if I don’t.”
“Asshole.”
“Yep.”
“You know he’s jealous, right?”
“If only. It’s a lot more complicated than that.” My stomach sinks just thinking about it, but I smile through it, just like I’ve always done. “Can we take a raincheck on this conversation?” I ask, not wanting to dampen the mood.
“Of course. What about a holiday then? You could hand over a two-hundred-dollar travel gift card as well as an all-expenses-paid trip. They show him the gift card and pretend they booked the holiday themselves.”
Her idea pulls me up short and I seriously consider it. If I could make that happen, it’s actually kind of perfect. “I’ll chat with Mom about that one. Avacationmight work.” I wink, making a point of enunciating “vacation” and Hayley pokes out her tongue. But joking aside, I’m grateful for the idea.
“Thanks, Hayls.” It sucks that I still have to be cautious even though he won’t even be there, but he’ll call on Christmas Day and it will be the first thing he asks. He always does.
“Anytime.” Hayley bounces her eyebrows at the use of my catchphrase, pulling me out of my head.
“Seriously, though, I appreciate it.”
“I know. You don’t have to thank me. In fact, I doubt you’ll want to after my next question.”
“Oh, yeah? What’s that?”
“What should we get for your brother?”
